The Silent Song
by Queen-of-Ice101
Summary: All of us see life in a different way, our view shaped by experiences and physical perception. However, there are some that view things in a way that most of us will never understand, with limitations born through disability and struggle yet that bring a vibrancy and understanding to life that many never grasp. Mel understands that struggle, as well as the pain of overcoming it. AU


Hello all!

So just a few days ago I started a new project for myself, it was called the Shuffle Playlist challenge. To summarize, you put a music playlist on shuffle and write a fix that connects to the songs as they come on, one fix per song. There's more to the challenge of course but that does explain the gist.

Well when you are writing, sometimes you start with an idea, and it kind of runs away with you. Sometimes this is a good thing, this time however it served to be a bit of a pain lol. See, this fix was originally supposed to be the third in the challenge, however as I was finishing it up I reread it through while listening to the song it was supposed to be for, and realized that this had gone way off track from the more depressing message behind the song.

Thus, I decided to rewrite the tic for the challenge. However, this one had turned out so well for my first time writing a character in this way that I really wanted to share it anyway, just separate from the challenge.

If you have already read the challenge one before this, or you go and read the challenge version after this, you will notice some very large similarities in a few of the scenes and key character points. That is on purpose, as those scenes were actually the ones I first came up with that guided the design of this fanfic plot thus they were carried over and just edited up a little bit. So yes, there will be similarities but hopefully you will enjoy this anyway with the differences added in

This is a modern day AU, and I hope that with you all enjoy:)

* * *

 **Silent Song**

* * *

In the bustling city of Thais citizens and visitors alike were coming and going eagerly as the sun shone over them. Cars came and went along busy streets, and the massive office buildings further into the city stood as pinnacles over the apartments and residential streets.

On one of those residential streets sat a fancy house of pale blue and white, known by the neighbours of being the home to one of the most welcoming young men and his gentle young wife. The names Edward and Stella were carved in cursive onto a wooden plaque that hung over the door.

But in recent times a newcomer had come to their home, a cousin who Edward spoke of with equal measures of love and sadness.

That cousin could currently found in her room reading a book in a small window seat loaded down with pillows, eyes dancing over the pages but the blank gaze giving away that she was taking nothing in. After a few minutes of attempting to read the girl heaved a sigh and set the book down on her lap before turning to watch out the window. She could feel the breeze from the window that was open above her and looked up to stare at the birds through the screen that were dancing around on the branches. The girl smiled wistfully as she watched them, the birds here had such a beautiful song.

She wished she could hear it.

A sudden flashing blue light coming from the bracelet on her wrist made her start and she turned to the doorway to see Edward standing there, hazel eyes sparkling.

"Hey Mel." He said slowly, giving her the chance to read his lips.

Mel smiled and stood stretching slightly.

"Hey Edward, you're home already? I thought that you and Stella were picking up groceries and Stella always drags you into that pet store to obsessively window browse." She said with a snort, Edward giving a roll of his eyes.

"The pet store was closed so we didn't get to go in." Edward informed her, pouting.

Mel laughed at her cousin, patting him sympathetically as she moved to jog down the stairs. Before she could get further then a step however she felt a hand catch her arm and she turned to stare at her cousin in puzzlement, seeing him swallow as he apparently got up the courage to say whatever it was he had stopped her for.

"Uh, how are you...doing?"

At that question was all it took to tear any hint of cheer from Mel as she froze, she knew what he was asking.

"Edward..."

"It'sjustthat-"

Instantly Mel held her hand up, brows furrowed slightly.

"Slow down, I can't read your lips when you're talking to fast." Mel snapped, Edward's mouth closing for a moment before restarting.

"Today is the marking of it being a year since your accident, and I known that this year's been hard getting used to..."

Mel's jaw clenched as she pulled her arm free and finished his statement.

"You mean getting used to being deaf? It's not a curse word Edward, you can say it without freezing up. I know I'm deaf, alright?! I'm not going to melt down just because you say what I am!"

Edward shot her a look.

"And what are you doing right now?"

"Getting angry because you can't get over the fact that I'm not breakable Edward! I wasn't before the accident, and I'm not now! Stop acting like I'm going to burst into tears if you say the wrong thing, you've changed since I went deaf and I'm getting sick of it!"

Mel spun and stormed down the stairs without giving Edward a chance to respond, frustration making her steps harder then usual. She exited onto the main floor and wandered into the large kitchen where Stella was cutting up salad, the Violet haired woman turning to shoot Mel a warm smile.

"We picked up fries for you from that diner you like so much on our way home, I just sent Edward up to let you know. They're in the microwave to keep the heat in."

Mel grinned at the prospect of food, pulling open the microwave to pull the large box of fries out as she hopped up onto the stool facing the island and opened the box to pop a fry in with a satisfied nod.

"Oh Mel, you might want to finish quickly or save it for later because your tutor arrives in five minutes." Stella turned to Mel to say, the black haired female groaning as she read what Stella was saying.

"Are you kidding?! I thought I cancelled him for today!"

Stella winced.

"Well, Edward might have rescheduled on you when he learned that you were planning to just hide away at home today. He's...worried."

Mel let out an explosive sigh, glaring out at the staircase that Edward had yet to come down.

"I don't need someone to teach me how to be deaf! Especially not someone who isn't even deaf themselves, I think I have that pretty well figured out on my own!" She snapped, voice tense.

"He's not coming to teach you how to "be deaf" and you know that. He's coming to teach you how to reacclimatize yourself to this new way of living. It took you so long to heal physically and mentally from the accident that you haven't been able to be learning right up from when the accident took place which makes it harder but you shouldn't take your frustration out on the tutor for your frustration."

"It has nothing to do with that frustration, it has to do with the fact that my tutor is a-"

Mel was cut off by her bracelet flashing once again, this time white. Edward had set her up so that simple activities that usually relied on sound could be accessed through sight, like when someone wanted to come into her room or alert her that they were waiting they could press the button outside her room that would make the bracelet flash blue. The front doorbell was white and at this particular moment she was not pleased about the reason.

"Tell him I'm sick Stella, I don't need a "lesson" today."

Stella shook her head with a good natured sigh.

"You've been working together for almost five months and yet you still fight like territorial lions. I'm starting to wonder if this isn't for money anymore and is solely a case of wanting to out stubborn you." Her chocolate skinned companion said before leaving the kitchen.

She could feel the movement of the air moving through the kitchen and knew that Stella had opened the door, Mel sulking over her fries. Several minutes later she saw movement out of the corner of her eyes but studiously ignored it, munching on her fries as she pretended that she was alone in the kitchen.

Her mini daydream was shattered most unpleasantly however when a hand slipped around and plucked a fry from her box. Instantly Mel was alert and wheeling in her seat to yell at the thief, glaring angrily at her "tutor" who smirked very deliberately at her before tossing the stolen fry in his mouth and crossing to her other side where he slid onto the bar stool next to her.

"Gyendal." She growled, the man next to her ignoring her very pointedly as he greeted Edward and Stella who had both come into the kitchen.

They exchanged a few statements, Stella and Edward speaking to quickly for her to pick up much to her frustration.

"Thank you, we'll accept that offer and go sit on the patio for the lesson today." Gyendal suddenly responded, angling himself so that Mel could read his reply before rising and pushing the box of fries out of her reach.

"The hell?! Jerk." Mel snapped, shoving to her feet and stalking out of the kitchen towards the back patio.

Gyendal quickly caught up to her, following as she exited out onto the back patio and dropped down into her favourite lounge chair. She felt the screen door slap closed as the black haired male settled himself calmly in the chair adjacent to her own with every bit the grace of the gentleman he absolutely wasn't even close too.

"Glad to see you're in such a cheerful mood." Gyendal signed to her, his movements mockingly exaggerated.

She shot him a black look and signed back, not even bothering to speak.

"Bite me."

He smirked.

"Is that an order?"

At his sly remark Mel forgot her goal not to waste verbal words on him and sat up abruptly, face flaming.

"What?! No! Goddess you're such a creep!"

"You're the one that made the comment, I just responded to that." Gyendal shot back, reclining back as he signed his reply.

"Well why don't you think like a decent human being and this won't keep happening!"

"Now why would I do that when I know this gets you mad which is far more entertaining."

Mel pointed at him with a warning glare and he only laughed, lazily waving off her unspoken threat.

"Since our last driving excursion went so well, I figure that for today we can just work on sign language today and perhaps have a shorter session since you had initially cancelled today before your cousin rescheduled."

She cringed at the mention of that disastrous lesson, she had been so focused on looking for emergency vehicle lights like their lesson had been about that the nearly didn't stop in time for an idiot that ran a red light. She hadn't been able to read what Gyendal was saying but she had no doubt that the curses he had been clearly letting loose when that happened would have blistered her ears.

"Good idea. I can't help but wonder however, if you knew I didn't want to see you today why did you take it upon yourself to make my day miserable." Mel snarked.

"You never want to see me so I hardly think there's a difference."

Mel snorted and dropped her head back to glare above her, determined to ignore then infuriating male in front of her.

It's not like she really needed these lessons anyway.

* * *

The lesson had passed far to slowly for Mel's liking but she managed to get through it with plenty of cheap shots exchanged between them until Gyendal left with a swish of his leather coat.

However once she got inside she wasn't doing much better. Edward refused to back off, constantly fussing over her and checking on her when all she wanted was some space to sit quietly and think without feeling like everyone saw her like a glass doll.

Then finally after countless times of Edward coming and asking her the same question about "how she was doing" Mel finally snapped.

"Would you stop it?! I don't need your help to turn the page in my book! I don't need your concern, I don't need you fretting over me, and I don't need you to treat me like a fragile vase or something! I can handle this myself without you trying to pry into my mind every five minutes. Back off!"

Edward froze partway down onto the couch next to her and Mel shot to her feet, tossing the book down on the couch behind her and storming across the living room and up the stairs towards her room. Once she had gotten inside she slammed it hard and dropped back against the door, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before stalking over to her dresser to yank open the top shelf and yank out the folded outfit on the top.

Five minutes later she was changed, nice jeans and a flowing blue blouse. She placed a final item into the pocket of her coat as she shoved her feet into heeled boots and jogged down the stairs straight to the hanging rack next to the front door. Reaching out she snatched a set of keys off the small hooks, sparing only a glance at Edward to flash her phone as a signal that yes she did have it in case he needed to contact her before striding to the door.

She saw him get up to stop her only for Stella to pull him back, shooting a sad smile at Mel who gave her a curt nod before hopping into her car and peeling out of the driveway.

She just needed to get away for a bit, and she knew exactly where to go.

Deep into the city she went, bypassing all the regular streets before pulling off into a side street with all the funky shops. Carefully she pulled into the parking lot behind an unassuming back brick building. Once the car was parked and off Mel let out a long sigh, shoulders slumping slightly before reaching into her coat to withdraw an ornate blue masquerade mask and slide it on.

Leaving her car Mel headed up to the door and pulled it open, stepping into the front entrance of the club and letting the heavy beat vibrate through her.

It was the Starlight Masquerade Club, it had been started by a history lover who had been fascinated by the Masquerade balls during the fifteenth century and on. They wanted a place where people could gather and dance and socialize without all the pitfalls of the average city club.

"Welcome back." The security guard greeted slowly, Mel was a regular to the club on long days when she just wanted to sit and enjoy music in the only way she could anymore.

She nodded and slipped by, heading to her usual corner where she took her seat on one of the plush velvet lined seats against the wall. She could feel the base radiating through the floor, the beat pulsing through her body. It relaxed her. Mel pulled out her cellphone and pulling up a small game, amusing herself until she got hungry and decided to order. Surrounded by people all over the room, she didn't know what they were saying even though she knew they were talking loud. It was lonely at times, but Mel forced her mind onto other focuses as she started the next level of her game.

She was so involved in her game that she never noticed as someone came up to her until a careful touch to her shoulder jolted her out of her game and she turned in surprise to see someone standing above her.

"Wha-?"

It was a young man, wearing fitted black slacks and an untucked red dress shirt. His black mask covered almost his entire face, unlike hers his did not cut off at the nose line and instead extended far enough down that only his mouth was revealed and the bottom of his face.

She blinked, startled by the interruption. People always left her alone in the corner, even newcomers staying out of her space since she have no indication that she was interested in chatting.

"Can I...?"

"You're sitting here alone, would you like to dance?" He said, surprisingly slow enough that she was able to read his lips and understand what he was saying.

Mel shot a wistful look out at the dance floor but shook her head, tapping her ear. She knew what would happen when she told him she couldn't hear, he would leave to find someone he could actually talk with.

"I'm deaf, I don't think I would be able to keep up with the music as much as needed, or be a very good conversationalist in this enviroment."

He smiled, seeming amused as he raised his hands and began to sign much to her shock.

"Not to worry about the conversation part, I can sign."

Her mouth dropped open before she broke into a grin and quickly replied.

"Well that at least makes communication far easier, I don't think it would help with dancing but would you like to take a seat."

He nodded before pulling out the chair across the table from her, a waitress just coming over as he seated himself.

She spoke to quickly for Mel to catch as she asked them if they wanted to order by her new companion signed for her seamlessly as if he was used to playing translator. This was far outside of her usual ways of spending her evening but Mel went with the flow, ordering her food and watching as the waitress walked away before turning her attention to her new companion across from her who flashed her a smile before bringing up his hands.

"So tell me, what brings someone who does not dance or gather with friends here?"

Mel shrugged after a moment.

"I enjoy the ability to come and be anonymous, enjoy the music through the beat and bass that comes through the floor. And I can eat good food."

He nodded, as if he understood her wishes.

"I understand that. I come for much of that as well, as well as occasionally dancing. I usually come with my sister and her husband but they're on a month long vacation, which leaves me alone to come and enjoy the food."

Somehow Mel found herself falling easily into conversation with the stranger in front of her, he had a dry humour but was easy to banter off of as they talked about various light topics. Never before had a meal passed by so quickly for Mel, caught up in conversation with the friendly stranger in front of her.

Eventually the evening had passed and Mel received a text from Edward, her bracelet flashing purple to signal the text. He was wondering if she was okay and Mel noted in surprise that several hours had already passed.

"I should go, but thank you for sitting and chatting with me. I enjoyed it." Mel finally said, smiling slightly at the man across from her.

"The pleasure was all mine. I enjoyed my meal a great deal more then I had anticipated."

Mel stood, slipping her phone into her pocket and nodding to the man, wishing him a good night before heading out to her car. As she drove home she couldn't help the smile that bloomed on her face. It felt so nice to be able to chat with someone so easily, somehow he had managed to push her thinking about the accident to the back of her mind. For the first time since the accident, she actually felt normal.

* * *

It only took a few days before she was back at the club, and partway to her usual space she could feel eyes on her. She turned to face one of the booths closer to the servers counter and found herself meeting the eyes of the man from the night before. He shot her a lazy half smile before lilting his head to gesture at the chair across from him, Mel hesitating before heading over and settling into the open chair as she signed a quick greeting.

"Welcome back. Care for some company miss mystery?" He signed, Mel smiling slightly and leaning back in her seat.

"Sure, I'm sure I can handle a little bit of company."

He laughed the two of them once again falling into easy conversation. It bounced from topic to topic until the man across from her hesitated, then asked a more serious question.

"Your hearing...were you born deaf?"

Mel shook her head, sighing and staring blankly at the detailing on his mask.

"No, it was an accident. I was late for work, and wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been. I checked quickly at a crosswalk before going to run across but out of nowhere came this car, they were fiddling with their phone and never saw me. The car slammed into me at full speed and I was launched off the top into the road. Broken limbs and ribs, I was given a real bad concussion. It put me in a coma for two weeks, when I finally woke up...I couldn't hear a thing. They tried surgery, but it didn't work. I'm deaf for good."

She stopped and waited, eyeing him guardedly. People always pitied her after learning her story, treated her as lesser. But he never said a thing, only tilted his head in understanding before turning to the waitress that had come to their table. Once they had ordered and he turned back to her she braced herself for more questions but instead he seamlessly guided conversation onto safer topics, Mel relaxing when she realized he wasn't going to broach the topic again. They discussed his sisters crazy romantic attempts which had Mel in fits of laughter, and for the first time she admitted her hope that she could be finally prepared enough that she would able to attend Shadwood University for several courses come that fall.

It was was the best feeling just being able to be open, without fear of personal judgement or pity.

* * *

Her meeting with the man at the club had triggered a shift in her life, one she didn't notice right away. For one thing, she had finally found a friend since the accident outside of her cousin and Stella that she could be herself with. She would often go to the club now, and almost every time her mystery friend was there too. She never asked him about who he really was, nor did he to her. They were both satisfied with anonymity it seemed, and that suited Mel just fine.

But another change had come, one much more gradual yet so unexpected and without reason. Her tutoring sessions with Gyendal had been at one point filled with needling and arguing, Mel finishing every reason she could to make his life difficult. She still enjoyed tormenting him, it made her feel better when that horrid smirk became more strained to hide his irritation. Yet there had been a change, one she just couldn't quite place. A familiarity about him that set her at ease, their biting comments relaxing more into ongoing banter as if between friends.

Over a month of that went by, tutoring sessions twice a week and in the evenings Mel heading to the Masquerade club. Stella and Edward had been relieved to see her going out and spending time out of her room which irritated her on a level, she didn't need her friends trying to play parent, but at the same time she appreciated their care.

Then because nothing was complete just being simple in her life, everything had to change again one day during her tutoring session.

* * *

Mel pushed the screen door open with an elbow as she stepped out onto the porch, setting one of two glasses of water on the side table closest to Gyendal before taking a seat with her own glass.

He glanced over, taking the glass before shooting her a half smile.

"Thanks."

The expression gave Mel pause, something about his smile was playing at the back of her mind. It reminded her of something, she just couldn't quite place what it was. Shrugging, she dismissed it before taking a sip and setting aside.

"I have something you might want to take a look through." Gyendal suddenly signed, standing and retrieving a thick folder out of his bag.

"Your resignation letter?" She asked, raising her brows in mock horror.

He rolled his eyes before placing the folder in her lap, Mel blinking in shock at the bold and vibrant image on the front.

"Shadwood University...what is this?"

Gyendal grinned slightly as he raised his hands to sign.

"I take classes there and on my way out today was able to get into the office to grab one of their packets for students with any form of disability. I know you want to take some courses there so I figured this would a great way to get a head start on everything. The campus is specially designed to accommodate any students with disabilities of any kind, guides for blind students and translators for the deaf are just a few of the notable ones. You only want to take a couple of courses so having a translator that works with you for all your courses while you attend the university will be easy."

Mel's face felt like it was going to split with how big her grin was as she opened the folder to reveal all the paperwork.

"So what is all of this for then?"

Gyendal stepped over and took a seat on the swinging porch bench next to Mel, reaching over to pull a few of the papers out and turning with his arm braced over the back of the bench so that she could read his lips. She watched intently as he explained, however all her focus was abruptly shattered when she felt a finger brush ever so slightly against her arm.

All the thoughts in her brain froze as she shifted her head ever so slightly and peered out of the corner of her eye at their reflection in the patio glass door behind Gyendal. In the reflection she could see that his arm was draped over the back, curving aback out into the seat just behind where she was sitting. Again his fingers shifted and brushed against her skin, goosebumps rising in their wake.

Mel stared blankly at the paper, mind racing a million miles an hour. What the hell?! Why was she reacting like that, this was Gyendal of all people!

Suddenly the hand shifted, settling on her shoulder to give a slight shake and catch her attention.

Her head shot up, a flush crawling up her neck in response and she saw him hide a smirk.

"Is something the matter? You seem distracted."

Mel shot him a scathing look.

"Nothing's the matter, you're just so boring that I got caught up in my thoughts."

She saw him laugh before turning his attention back to the paper as he began to point out several paragraphs. As he talked, Mel was acutely aware of the fact that he had never released her from shaking her to attention. His arm was gently wrapped around her shoulders, thumb absently drifting back and forth over the top as he spoke.

Mel pretended not to notice his actions and forcibly focused in on the papers in front of her. Without realizing it however, Mel had leaned back into his arm.

Gyendal noticed however, a small smile drifting across his lips as he read.

* * *

Mel carried her paperwork up the stairs to her room with a slight bounce in her step as she heard Gyendal's car pull away from the curb. This paperwork was the next step into her future, this fall was going to be amazing.

She set it on her desk, checking the time and realizing that if she wanted to make it to the Starlight Masquerade club before parking got busy for the event that night she needed to hurry and change so she could get there soon.

Quickly she changed her clothes, glancing over several times at the paperwork with a smile. She couldn't wait to tell her mystery friend what had happened, getting the paperwork for the school. He was the first person she had told about this, she was worried about what anyone else would think about her goal although clearly that fear was unfounded when it came to Gyendal. After all, the man from the club was the only one she had ever told about her goal s-...

Wait.

Mel froze with her leg partway into her pants, shifting only to let out a yelp as she toppled over onto the floor. It took her brain a few seconds to catch up before Mel was up and yanking her pants up as she began to pace.

Wait. A. Minute.

This wasn't adding up. She hadn't told anyone else about her goal to go to Shadwood University, she knew she hadn't. She hadn't told anyone outside of the guy at the club because she had been nervous of the reactions she would receive. She most certainly hadn't told Gyendal, she would have absolutely remembered that conversation.

So how had he known?

Mel shoved her feet into her boots absently as her mind raced, piecing things together of things that had never quite connected right before, and connections between them that she had never taken much note of before.

Similarities in expression, smiles and smirks. The same self assured air about them, pointed remarks and sly comments. Same flair in their signing and flow to their conversation. The strange ability to read Mel that the mystery guy seemed to have during their conversations.

The shift in her and Gyendal's interactions from harsh and fighting to easy friendship, and as of late the lingering touches and blushes in small touches.

Mel's eyes narrowed and she snatched both mask and keys off her shelf, taking the stairs two at a time as she waved to Stella and Edward in passing as she rushed out of the house and to her car.

Goddess, she was such a freaking idiot!

* * *

When Mel entered the club the security guard raised an eye at her expression, lips pressed thin and eyes cold. She scanned the room quickly before her eyes landed on the black masked male sitting in the corner of the booth.

She stalked across the room towards her, taking a slightly more roundabout route to come up partially behind him. She stopped a few feet away, watching him a moment before calling out.

"Hey Gyendal?"

He turned his head partially towards her, eyes still glued to his screen as he answered.

"Yes?"

Mel was silent, crossing her arms over her chest with narrowed eyes as she waited. After a second the silence seemed to pull her "mystery" masked friend's attention fully and he looked over expectantly.

When he made eye contact with Mel however and saw the look on her face she saw him tense.

"So...I was right. Wasn't I, Gyendal? I don't think you've been particularly honest. In fact, I think you have an explanation to make, and I think that now would be a great time to make it."

She could see the sigh he let out the long and he slowly slid out from the booth, rising to his feet before quickly signing a question to her.

"I'm not particularly interested in discussing anything here, why don't we go somewhere quieter."

Mel gave a sharp nod and he led the way out of the club, Gyendal leading her to his car as he pulled off his mask.

"Clearly I won't be needing this right now." He said, turning and speaking slowly for her to read.

Mel slid hers off and pocketed it as he unlocked his car doors and she slid into the passenger seat, watching as Gyendal climbed in on the other side and started his car up to pull out of the parking lot.

They were silent as Gyendal pulled out onto the street and started down further down the side street. Conversation wasn't exactly possible when Gyendal could neither sign while driving or turn to face her so Mel contented herself with glaring out the window as he drove further down to a gravel bar looking out over a pond. .

They both climbed out of the car and Mel followed over to a pile of cement blocks that had been left by she guessed some sort of a construction crew. Gyendal dropped down heavily onto one, Mel taking the only available seat next to him.

"Why did you lie?"

She never approached the question gently and Gyendal grimaced before pulling his hands out of his pockets to speak.

"I never lied. You didn't ask who I was and I never offered the information."

Mel hissed through her teeth at his words.

"That's lying by omission and you know it! You know that things would have been different if I had known who you were, you completely hid that! Why did you hide this like that?! Why did you decide to approach me in the first place?!"

Gyendal glared at her, expression tight.

"I approached you because you were sitting alone in the corner of the room and I was getting bored sitting in my booth without anyone to talk too. I was bored and wanted someone to talk to, so I decided to strike up a conversation with you to see if you treated everyone the same as you did "your tutor" or if I was just special. Then after the first day I found myself enjoying conversation and didn't want to say anything, I was enjoying having someone to talk with."

Mel threw her hands up in the air, narrowly missing hitting Gyendal with her exasperated actions.

"Are you serious?! So you just randomly decided to keep up an alter ego for fun?! What, you didn't have enough buddies you could call up to join you at Starlight Masquerade so you thought it would be fun to fake me out?"

Gyendal sneered at her statement, jaw clenched slightly.

"Believe it or not, I'm not exactly surrounded with friends I can spend time with Mel. Outside of a few collage companions as well as my sister and her husband I don't exactly have people I enjoy interacting with, and I certainly do not have friends I can just "call up". I was talking to you because I wanted to, not because I was playing games."

"Well then why didn't you say something to me in the last couple meetings with you as a tutor?! We get along relatively well at those meetings, why didn't you just tell me?!" Mel demanded, not knowing how loud she was being but not caring either.

"It was never my intention to keep it going this long! It just happened!"

Mel turned to face him head on, expression determined as she leaned in to make her point.

"So you never meant to keep it separate and left for it as long as you did, yet somehow you found the time to remember to get that booklet for Shadwood to give to me in your slip up. How is that even logical?!"

The oddest expression flitted across Gyendal's face at her words and he never bothered to sign as she slowly spoke his next statement.

"You want logic? You don't get it? Fine, I'll explain if you can't figure it out on your own after everything."

She sucked in a breath to rage at him but before she could say a word aloud his hands anchored onto her shoulders and held her in place as he suddenly leaned in and kissed her, hard.

Mel's eyes went impossibly wide, leaving her staring at Gyendal who's eyes were closed as his black lashes brushed against his cheeks. She was stiff in his grasp as he held the kiss for a moment before slowly backing away.

She stared at him in shock, not jolting into realization until she saw his eyes narrow slightly. It was like the walls had come down as he pulled his hands away and moved to stand, signing without looking at her.

"You know what? Screw it, I don't care. It doesn't matter. Just forget all of this ever happened and get in the car so I can take you back to the club to get your own vehicle."

His jerkily signed words were all it took to catapult Mel into action and she leapt forward, grabbing onto Gyendal's shoulder to spin him back around. She had no idea what she was doing when she stood up onto her tiptoes and returned the kiss, Gyendal starting slightly before pulling her closer and responding with urgency.

There were no words needed now, his action was all that was nesesary to explain.

* * *

 **Three months later:**

A crisp fall breeze blew through the immaculate campus of Shadwood University and vibrantly coloured leaves lined the cobblestone walkways. Students bustled all over the green, talking and laughing together as they hurried between classes.

Exiting from one of the large buildings were two young adults, a woman with vibrant dark blue eyes that was sharing something with a grin to her smirking male companion who flicked a strand of black hair out of his eyes as he listened.

"I honestly cannot believe that you managed to wheedle your way through getting one of my classes shifted so that you could be my translator for all of them." Mel snorted, shaking her head.

Gyendal looked highly amused as he rushed his hands to sign.

"Well the only other available assistants to work with you during the class and one on one with you for the lecture were males that are just a tad too interested in the position for my liking." He signed.

Mel couldn't help but laugh at his statement and Gyendal shot her a lazy grin, reaching down to take her hand and weave his fingers through hers.

They walked hand in hand through the campus, both of them content and Mel unbothered for once by the silence. She didn't need to be able to hear in order to know the heart of nature and the activity around her. She could feel the silent song just fine.

For Mel, this was peace.

* * *

So what do you think? Reviews are welcome! Flames shall be laughed at, posted for others to laugh at, and ignored as I continue the story.


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